The more potent is a man, the less accustomed to endure
injustice, and the more his power to inflict it,--the greater is the
sting and the greater the astonishment when he himself is made to
suffer. Newspaper editors sport daily with the names of men of whom
they do not hesitate to publish almost the severest words that can
be uttered;--but let an editor be himself attacked, even without
his name, and he thinks that the thunderbolts of heaven should fall
upon the offender. Let his manners, his truth, his judgment, his
honesty, or even his consistency be questioned, and thunderbolts
are forthcoming, though they may not be from heaven. There should
certainly be a thunderbolt or two now, but Mr. Slide did not at first
quite see how they were to be forged.
He read the injunction again and again. As far as the document went
he knew its force, and recognised the necessity of obedience. He
might, perhaps, be able to use the information contained in the
letter from Mr. Kennedy, so as to harass Phineas and Lady Laura and
the Earl, but he was at once aware that it must not be published.
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